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Hey, look what just rolled in! We just received boxes and boxes of the latest Athanasius Press publication: Hear, My Son: An Examination of the Fatherhood of Yahweh in Deuteronomy by Ralph Smith.

From the back:

“Smith’s work encourages a fresh reading of the Penteteuch that puts away stale prejudices against a perpetually angry, slave-driving Old Testament God, and awakens the reader to the reality of Yahweh’s primary identity as a tender, loving and devoted Father.”

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Thanks to the labors of John Barach and Peter Leithart we now have a new volume of essays honoring James B. Jordan, fresh off the press (and available soon from a number of outlets online including Athanasius Press!).

This book not only has some outstanding pieces in it (essays by Duane Garner, Rich Lusk, Tim Gallant, Ralph Smith, Bill DeJong, Toby Sumpter, Jeff Meyers, Doug Wilson, Bogumil Jarmulak, Rich Bledsoe, and others) but it also contains a comprehensive listing of all of Jim’s writings (books, essays, newsletters, etc.) — which is almost worth the price of the book all by itself.

The foreword was written by the editor of First Things, Rusty Reno, and he has this to say about Jim:

James B. Jordan is remarkable. There are plenty of Bible preachers in America who know the Scriptures well. Lots of professors read books in philosophy, history, and literature and have all sorts of interesting things to say about culture. Pundits cultivate a sharp, pungent, and readable style. But Jim is perhaps unique. Who else writes detailed interpretations of the book of Daniel and quotes Allen Tate’s poetry? Who else can give a lecture on echoes of Leviticus in the apocalyptic vision of Zechariah and then chat over cigars about Friedrich von Hayek and Richard Weaver? Moreover, who can cover such a range with vivid images, punchy taglines, and memorable turns of phrase? Not many, which is why I’ve come to think of Jim Jordan as one of the most important Christian intellectuals of our day.

Set aside the bills and get ready to purchase this great book.

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This past July, four Kent State football players came down from Ohio to help with the relief efforts in Tuscaloosa (whose citizens were still in the midst of recovering from the effects of the devastating tornado attacks of April 27). The four players joined with members of the Crimson Tide football team who had been working clearing debris and making repairs to homes in various Tuscaloosa neighborhoods since the storms reeked their havoc. They also held a football clinic. Here’s some of the coverage from Kent State TV:

This was not a publicity stunt. The news media were not notified, though the word got out about it and the media did cover it. The guys from Kent State came down because they wanted to help and since they were going to be coming back to Tuscaloosa the first Saturday of September to play in their season opener against Alabama, they thought it would be a good thing to show their support and concern for the people of Alabama. There were other connections between the two schools — Alabama head coach Nick Saban and his wife Terry are both graduates of Kent State — so it was, all-in-all, a very nice gesture and everyone was grateful for their support.

That’s the first part of the story. Here’s the second:

This past Saturday when the Kent State team ran onto the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, instead of receiving the boos and cat-calls the visiting team usually receives — the entire stadium rose to give them a standing ovation. It was quite a sight. The players for the visitors were obviously overwhelmed by the unexpected reception from the fans. But the response was sincere . . . and sincerely appreciated.

That’s the second part of the story. Here’s the last part:

This week the athletic director of Kent State University sent an open letter to the University of Alabama and its fans. Here’s the letter:

There probably aren’t a whole lot of positive letters to the editor written from the opponent after a 41-point loss to open the season, but I would be remiss if I didn’t share a few thoughts following Saturday’s Kent State University-University of Alabama football game at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

When our four student-athletes traveled to Tuscaloosa in July, it wasn’t a media ploy or a publicity stunt, it was simply to help a community that had been ravaged by the devastating tornado on April 27. Obviously, word got out over the past few weeks, and thanks in part to the Internet, spread like wildfire.

To say we were overwhelmed by the response from Crimson Tide fans this weekend would be an understatement. Our Alumni Office has been inundated with e-mails raving about the hospitality, generosity and extremely grateful attitude the Alabama nation displayed toward anyone wearing the blue and gold of Kent State.

To top it all off, the standing ovation our team received upon entering the stadium Saturday morning gave all of us Flashes fans in attendance goose bumps. It was something unheard of at a college football game, and speaks volumes about the citizens of Alabama and Crimson Tide fans everywhere.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for opening your arms to our players in July and again to our team and fans this past weekend. It was an experience none of us will soon forget, and even more important in this time of extreme negativity, it was a perfect illustration of all that can be right with college athletics.

Another shining example is the fine work that Kent State alums Nick and Terry Saban are doing through their Nick’s Kids Foundation. They are making a difference in the community each and every day, and we are extremely proud of their efforts.

All the best to the University of Alabama.

Joel Nielsen
Director of Athletics
Kent State University
Kent, Ohio

With all the truly bad news coming out about college football in recent weeks and months, it’s good to know that it ain’t all bad. Every now and then, things happen just like they ought to happen.